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It is also Mrs Samworth’s birthday, with her celebrating her 70th today.

Mr Samworth joked: “I married her on her birthday so I didn’t forget the anniversary cards.

“I can’t believe that 50 years have gone by so quickly.

“We’re taking our wedding vows again on Sunday.

“If we’re prepared to do it again it couldn’t have been a bad run.”

The couple recalled that they nearly never met as Mr Samworth almost refused an impromptu meeting.

He said: “We met on a blind date. There was a friend of mine from work, John, and he said he had a date that night and there was a girl for me.

“I said no, I’d been out every night that week so I didn’t want to go, but he persuaded me.”

Recalling the meeting, he said: “We just seemed to click.

“It was the best thing anyone could have done, pairing us up. I’d do it all again, exactly the same.

“We’ve had a good 50 years, bringing up a family. We have three sons and between them we now have 15 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, if you can believe it.

“There were good times and some bad times, but everything’s fine.”

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